Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Show Up

by C. LaRene Hall

Last week Cindy (C. L.) Beck posted a couple of videos by Elizabeth Gilbert on Creativity. I hope everyone took time to watch them.

After watching the videos, I began to wonder if I really am peculiar or maybe have bizarre behavior. I know that sometimes I’m a bit odd or strange. When I go on and on about a book I’m writing, people sometimes look at me as though I’m weird. Is this really that unusual? Aren’t all writers like this? To me my behavior doesn’t seem abnormal. The way I act doesn’t seem out of the ordinary to me. Does this mean I’m biased?

I know that I don’t usually go into the pits of despair, but I know some people that do. I rarely am stressed like lots of people. Does that mean I’m not a writer? That would be disastrous – what have I been doing with my time for years?

Back to the videos – I loved the part about showing up for your part of the job. I think I learned this at a very young age. In my teen-years, I sometimes got upset with all the time that I devoted to performing for other people. It sometimes seemed like I had no time to do what I wanted to do. I was always playing a violin solo, or performing with the orchestra. When I wasn’t asked to do that, they would ask me to sing a solo or a duet. Dancing was a big part of my life and I did many solo numbers as well as performing ballroom dancing with my younger brother. Learning a new dance number was always exciting. All of these prepared me for what lie ahead for me in this life. I learned to do my job, although many times I would ask, “WHY ME?”

I had numerous opportunities and as I look back, I’m actually grateful that I was able to have those experiences. I rarely touch the violin. I avoid singing in front of others, and I married someone who hates to dance. I learned that I should not be afraid. I’m willing to try new things, and audiences usually don’t frighten me.

Writing was always something I liked to do, but because I was always so busy with other things, I never nurtured that desire. It wasn’t something that others knew I could do because it wasn’t like my other talents. They were visible things. Writing is personal. I honestly don’t know when I realized that no matter what I’m a writer. Nothing anyone else says or does will ever take that away from me, and just because I’m a writer doesn’t mean that I’m mentally unstable. I’m a creative person who loves to write. I refuse to be afraid and I will do the job.

Around the Blogck

Once upon a time, a group of new writers got together and started this blog about their struggles, their aspirations, and their quest to become published authors.

Now, the better part of a decade later, we've been around awhile. We've learned far more , done more, and gone farther than we ever imagined we would!

Some joined us, some moved on, some became the published authors they always wanted to be, and some are still in the grind.

This is the record of where we've been, a textbook of what's been learned and a heartfelt memoir of experiences shared. Though the writers have moved on, the archives are here for you to peruse, and hopefully you'll find something in them to help, encourage and uplift.